Earth
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Earth
Ancient fossil sheds light on early evolution of body armor
A relative of today’s crabs and insects, the 10-legged, 520-million-year-old find may be the earliest known example of its kind with protected, jointed limbs.
- Microbes
Gulf floor fouled by bacterial oil feast
Observations may explain the widespread mortality of sediment-dwelling animals.
- Earth
Earth/Environment
Research links pesticides to Parkinson’s disease, plus more in this week’s news.
- Life
Packing away the poison
A genetic adaptation in a Hudson River fish species allows it to simply store toxic pollutants in its fat.
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- Life
Moonless twilight may cue mass spawning
Subtle color shifts on the nights just after the full moon might synchronize the release of gametes by corals and other marine creatures.
- Life
Buried microbes coax energy from rock
In experiments, microorganisms can stimulate minerals to produce hydrogen, a key fuel for growth in a thriving subterranean world.
- Earth
Earth/Environment
Licorice may be a natural alternative to antibiotics on hog farms, plus more in this week’s news.
- Earth
Extinctions breed carbon chaos
Massive die-off left ecosystems vulnerable, an analysis suggests.
- Earth
Chile quake didn’t reduce risk
During the large 2010 tremor, faults ruptured mainly outside the area due for a big one, leaving the region vulnerable to future events.
- Humans
Amoebas in drinking water: a double threat
Analysis reveals widespread, hidden contamination by the sometimes lethal parasites.
- Earth
Dispersants persisted after BP spill
Chemicals used to break up oil remained in the Gulf’s depths months after being released, an analysis shows.
